The History

Installed on December 4, 1944, to serve the members of Sigma Alpha Iota in the greater Washington Metropolitan Area, the Washington D.C. Alumnae Chapter has grown to approximately 130 members. One of the charter members, Helen May, remains active, having served in various capacities at the local, province, and national levels. Today, several members of the chapter are involved with the various projects on the national level such as the Pan Pipes board the Philanthropies Board, and the People-to-People project.

The Washington D.C. Alumnae Chapter is a very active chapter, having one event or meeting per month, featuring a pre-planned thematic musical program plus food and fellowship. Some of our activities include:

• A Pot Luck Dinner and Musicale
• Founders Day Banquet
• Scholarship Competition
• Benefit Recital
• Joint Musicale with members of Mu Phi Epsilon Alumnae
• Morning Musicales

Meetings are held on Sunday afternoons and Monday or Tuesday evenings, alternately in District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland.

Relationship with College Chapters

The Washington D. C. Alumnae chapter continues to have close ties with college members in lota A Province and regularly works with the members of Beta Phi Chapter at Catholic University of America, Gamma Epsilon Chapter at the University of Maryland, and Delta Nu Chapter at Howard University.

Philanthropy Projects

With monetary contributions from its members, the Washington D.C. Alumnae Chapter supports the following philanthropies:

• People-To-People Project by donating monetary gifts, music, and equipment
• The National Symphony Orchestra
• The Alexandria Choral Society
  
• The McLean Youth Orchestra
• The Brevard Summer Music Scholarship Program (SAI Region V Project)

The Washington D.C. Alumnae Chapter also provides scholarships to SAI members, both graduate and undergraduate, through an annual scholarship competition held each February. Funding for the scholarships is derived from the annual Benefit Recital held each spring.